All of the flavor of the original but not one bit of canned goods involved!

My kids have always been fans of the classic green bean bake. I have to admit that I also like it, but it always feels a lot less like eating a veggie dish and a lot more like some indulgent side dish of an unknown genre. That isn’t necessarily a bad thing. I think of Thanksgiving as a day of indulgence. Don’t count calories, just eat what you like.

However, as I worked on this Thanksgiving tapas menu, I already had a fairly unhealthy dish in the Individual Sweet Potato Casseroles. What I needed was something savory and not quite so indulgent in a third dish. If I was making the casseroles with my hubby in mind, I figured I could redo the green bean recipe for me.

To replace the cream of mushroom soup, I needed something creamy and flavorful, yet healthy. If you’re a regular reader, you won’t be surprised to learn that I turned to one of my favorite ingredients, plain Greek yogurt. Now all I needed to do was add seasonings to give it that classic taste.

Another change I made was working with fresh produce. Canned green beans have no texture and very little flavor. Working with fresh green beans I could cook them to the texture I wanted and give extra flavor via the main ingredient.

Finally without utilizing canned products, I couldn’t top the dish with French fried onions. Rather than trying to evoke the same taste of onions, I opted to mimic the texture. The topping is made of panko, which has a delightful crunch, and parmesan, which adds another layer of flavor and a hint of saltiness.

For anyone who’s used to the classic green bean casserole, this dish won’t be a stunt double. Eaten with an open mind and an appreciation for fresh produce, this dish is bound to be adored.

Healthy Green Bean Bake

2017-05-22 18:25:14

Serves 4

Lots of flavor without lots of calories for this green bean side dish

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Prep Time

15 min

Cook Time

30 min

Total Time

45 min

Prep Time

15 min

Cook Time

30 min

Total Time

45 min

Ingredients

¾ lb green beans, ends removed

½ Tb. olive oil

½ cup diced button mushrooms

¾ cup plain Greek yogurt

¾ tsp. soy sauce

½ tsp. garlic powder

1 Tb. panko

Parmesan

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350.

Cut green beans into 1 inch segments.

Bring large pot of salted water to a boil; add green beans.

Cook for 4 minutes.

Transfer to strainer and run under cold water for 1 minute to stop cooking.